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The Apple Vision Pro could already have a potential competitor – A cheaper headset from Meta
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The Apple Vision Pro has caused quite a stir since it was announced at WWDC 2023, and its odd-but-captivating design has prompted several competitors to begin development of their own premium AR headsets, including Meta. 

The rumors swirling around the supposed Meta headset suggest that the company has partnered with LG to launch the mixed reality device at some point in 2025, with pricing set lower than the staggering price point of $ 3,499 of the Apple Vision Pro. 

Wccftech reports that the potential headset will feature the same ‘Pro’ tag, with the official name said to be the Quest 4 Pro. The partnership between LG and Meta mirrors that of Apple and Sony, so we can expect LG to be in charge of display production. 

More choice is always welcome

With the potential launch date set for a few years from now, it seems likely that Meta intends to see how consumers take to the Apple Vision Pro. The report from Wccftech suggests that a cheaper model of Meta’s headset will retail for $ 200 in 2024, with the Quest 4 Pro following a year later at an undisclosed price. 

While there are still a lot of mixed feelings surrounding the Apple Vision Pro leading up to the launch, it could be a good sign that other tech companies are looking into offering cheaper alternatives. 

Apple may be able to argue that the high cost of its headset is a result of the premium design and features offered, but if competitors like Meta could jump on the wagon and provide something similar for cheaper, Apple should start feeling a little nervous. 

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Windows 11 gets Copilot AI – but Microsoft might be ruining it already
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Windows 11 has witnessed the arrival of Microsoft’s Copilot in testing, representing the first taste the public is getting of the AI assistant.

Microsoft promised Copilot would be out in June when the assistant was announced in May (at Build), and true to its word, the AI is present in the freshly revealed preview build 23493 in the Dev channel.

There are catches here, though, as you might imagine. For starters, this is a ‘controlled feature rollout’ meaning that only a small subset of users will get Copilot to begin with, and Microsoft will open it up to more testers over time.

In the blog post for build 23493, Microsoft tells us: “This first preview focuses on our integrated UI experience, with additional functionality coming down the road in future previews.”

Translation? Here’s Copilot but it’s mostly about how the interface works to begin with, rather than actual features and content. Of course, there is some functionality in this “early look” (as Microsoft calls it) at the AI.

You can ask Copilot to do the standard Bing AI stuff (compose a picture, or a piece of writing), summarize a website (in Edge), and the AI has some basics for Windows 11 controls and options, too.

The examples Microsoft gives are asking to turn on Dark Mode or Do Not Disturb, and also instructing Copilot to take a screenshot.

Microsoft notes: “Windows Copilot has a basic set of Windows settings plugins but no third-party plugin support yet. Over time, features will be added as we refine the Windows Copilot experience with Windows Insiders.”

One final caveat: to use Copilot in this preview build, you’ll need to be running Microsoft Edge version 115.0.1901.150 or later.

Analysis: Copilot lands – and just in time, but with unwanted baggage

The more cynical might lean to believing that Copilot is pretty barebones because Microsoft wanted to make its promised June deadline for bringing the AI to Windows 11 – which it only just managed. Still, whatever the case, testers will doubtless be keen to get stuck into testing the AI, and seeing what it can do, with the functionality likely to be rapidly expanded.

There’s a sizeable fly in the Copilot ointment, though, and that’s the following line in the blog post: “You may see inline recommendations we think are relevant through ads in Bing.”

Does that mean ads popping up in the Copilot side panel? Seemingly yes, but the couching of the language here suggests this is something Microsoft is going to test in small doses, perhaps, and carefully watch feedback. Needless to say, it’s something we are seriously not keen on – but not a surprising direction, given Microsoft flirting more with recommendations veiled as ads in Windows 11 in recent times.

While most testers haven’t got to play with Copilot yet, those in the Dev channel who have obtained access seem quietly pleased with the AI so far. One Redditor comments: “I’ve tried the Copilot and it has a lot of potential. You will no longer need to dig through the settings page for every small change you want to make to the system. Of course, it’s very limited for now, as this is just the first phase. But I am liking it so far.”

There is some displeasure among Canary channel testers, mind you, that Dev folks are getting this and they aren’t – when Canary is the earliest testing channel for Windows 11. It sounds like Copilot will be coming to Canary before too long, though (but already some Canary denizens are saying they’re switching back to Dev).

Of course, if you haven’t got Copilot yet, and are hankering for an AI assistant in Windows 11, then maybe you might want to resurrect Clippy (ahem).

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Apple might have already ruined the Vision Pro for VR gaming
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Apple claims to have broken the mold with its new Vision Pro mixed reality headset, which promises to revolutionize everything from video calls to general laptop use. But there’s one area the shiny new headset could fall down: VR gaming.

Although Apple’s WWDC 2023 showcase did highlight VR gaming experiences as a core part of the Vision Pro’s capabilities, new information reported by Mixed has revealed that there might be some design choices within the visionOS software that could seriously impact the VR gaming experience.

Recently-released Apple documentation explains that “the system defines an invisible zone that extends 1.5 meters from the initial position of the wearer’s head”, during ‘immersive experiences’ in VR. It goes on to say that “if their head moves outside of that zone, the experience automatically stops and passthrough returns to help people avoid colliding with objects in their physical surroundings.”

This sort of safety feature is commonplace in the best VR headsets, like the Meta Quest 2. However, Meta’s system allows users to define a set space around themselves for the purposes of spatial safety; while it looks like standard VR apps on the Vision Pro – as opposed to Apple’s ‘immersive experiences’ – will switch to transparent mode if you move just a meter from your starting point.

Locked in a (virtual) box

While the Vision Pro does boast a lot of great features, a one-meter limit could prove problematic for some VR apps – especially games. I own a VR headset (the excellent HP Reverb G2) which I use for gaming, and I definitely move my head more than a meter while playing most games, like dodging an oncoming slow-motion bullet in Superhot VR.

Immersion is king when it comes to gaming in VR; you don’t want to be pulled out of the experience, and the Reverb G2’s system – similar to the Meta Quest series – allows me to ‘draw’ the exact boundaries of my space, which is much larger than a meter. If I get too close to a physical object, the entire game doesn’t become transparent. Instead, I see a blueish outline of the closest objects that bleeds into the game to warn me I might be moving too much.

However, with just a single meter of space to move around before your in-game surroundings become transparent, it’s not hard to see how in-game immersion could easily be interrupted.

The Vision Pro also relies on hand gesture controls rather than the physical handsets used by most VR headsets, which could prove to be a significant barrier to developers porting their VR games to Apple’s product. Obviously, neither of these stumbling blocks is a concern for playing non-VR titles, where the Vision Pro simply 'projects' a gameplay screen in front of you.

I can only hope that this is merely the default setting and that Apple will allow Vision Pro users to tweak the boundaries of their ‘safe zone’ for VR gaming. All reports do point towards this being the greatest VR device ever made, and it would be a real shame to see Apple drop the ball here – especially since the tech giant seems to finally be getting serious about gaming.

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Don’t worry – Google Drive is already removing its new file limit
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Google appears to have already stepped back from introducing a file limit to its online cloud storage platform.

Earlier this week, reports began to surface from Google Drive users across the globe that they had encountered new notifications about a seemingly newly-introduced account limit of five million files.

However, Google Drive has now officially responded to the reports, revealing that it will not be introducing a limit after all, and reassuring users that their files are safe.

There's no limit

“We recently rolled out a system update to Drive item limits to preserve stability and optimize performance,” the company's official Twitter account said. “While this impacted only a small number of people, we are rolling back this change as we explore alternate approaches to ensure a great experience for all.”

“If we need to make changes, we will communicate them to users in advance.”

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The move was met with some alarm by Google Drive customers, who received no warning of the change, suggesting it may have been a mistake on the company's part.

The wording of the warning notification certainly didn't reassure users, who were confronted with a message reading, “Error 403: This account has exceeded the creation limit of 5 million items. To create more items, move items to the trash and delete them forever.”

One Reddit user was even given a notification telling them to, “Please delete 2 million files to continue using your Google Drive account.”

As we noted in our original story, five million files is a pretty big allowance in real terms. For users on Google Drive’s 2TB offering – the highest personal plan available – the average file size across an account would have to be 400 kilobytes (KB). 

That being said, there are certainly some instances where users may have that many files, for instance in the storage of large amounts of record data – but for the vast majority, users shouldn’t hit their limit, whatever Google decides that will be.

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Windows 11’s next big update for 2023 is already underway
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Windows 11’s big update for 2023 is already being worked on by Microsoft, or at least that’s the word from the grapevine, with references to the 23H2 build having been spotted.

This sighting was made by @XenoPanther, who picked up on references to CU23H2, or ‘Copper’ 23H2, in a DLL file within Windows Server build 25075. The current 22H2 build being tested, and set to debut later this year, is known as ‘Nickel’, as well as its more widely used ‘Sun Valley 2’ codename.

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While we have to trust that this finding shared on Twitter is genuine, it’s not the only clue here. As Neowin further points out, during a Microsoft stream (the Windows Insider Program webcast), there was also a reference to ‘SV3 Refined Investments Next Step’ tucked away in a Share Content menu (for Teams).

SV2 is an abbreviation used by Microsoft in the past for Sun Valley 2, so it’s a reasonable assumption that SV3 could well refer to Sun Valley 3, or Copper 23H2.

Analysis: This is just very early work on the next version of Windows 11

As @XenoPanther makes clear, this is the very first reference to 23H2 or next year’s big update that we’ve seen – remember, Microsoft has changed to an annual cadence for feature updates with Windows 11 – and so this will (in theory) be the very early beginnings of work on Copper or SV3.

Sun Valley 3, incidentally, may well just be a working codename to denote the next step on with Windows 11, and it could be discarded or changed – if it even means that at all, as noted (but that seems likely).

Windows 11 22H2 could be released pretty early on this year, maybe at the start of the second half of 2022 going by some rumors – perhaps July – although September or October (perhaps a year on from the initial launch of Windows 11) seem safer bets to us. The likelihood is that 23H2 would then debut something like a year on from that point.

The incoming 22H2 update makes some big changes, including introducing Android app support, but obviously we have no idea yet what kind of plans Microsoft might have for the 23H2 upgrade. If work really has begun on the latter, though, the expectation is we’ll be hearing developments from the rumor mill before too long.

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Windows 11’s next big update for 2023 is already underway
  • No Comments

Windows 11’s big update for 2023 is already being worked on by Microsoft, or at least that’s the word from the grapevine, with references to the 23H2 build having been spotted.

This sighting was made by @XenoPanther, who picked up on references to CU23H2, or ‘Copper’ 23H2, in a DLL file within Windows Server build 25075. The current 22H2 build being tested, and set to debut later this year, is known as ‘Nickel’, as well as its more widely used ‘Sun Valley 2’ codename.

See more

While we have to trust that this finding shared on Twitter is genuine, it’s not the only clue here. As Neowin further points out, during a Microsoft stream (the Windows Insider Program webcast), there was also a reference to ‘SV3 Refined Investments Next Step’ tucked away in a Share Content menu (for Teams).

SV2 is an abbreviation used by Microsoft in the past for Sun Valley 2, so it’s a reasonable assumption that SV3 could well refer to Sun Valley 3, or Copper 23H2.

Analysis: This is just very early work on the next version of Windows 11

As @XenoPanther makes clear, this is the very first reference to 23H2 or next year’s big update that we’ve seen – remember, Microsoft has changed to an annual cadence for feature updates with Windows 11 – and so this will (in theory) be the very early beginnings of work on Copper or SV3.

Sun Valley 3, incidentally, may well just be a working codename to denote the next step on with Windows 11, and it could be discarded or changed – if it even means that at all, as noted (but that seems likely).

Windows 11 22H2 could be released pretty early on this year, maybe at the start of the second half of 2022 going by some rumors – perhaps July – although September or October (perhaps a year on from the initial launch of Windows 11) seem safer bets to us. The likelihood is that 23H2 would then debut something like a year on from that point.

The incoming 22H2 update makes some big changes, including introducing Android app support, but obviously we have no idea yet what kind of plans Microsoft might have for the 23H2 upgrade. If work really has begun on the latter, though, the expectation is we’ll be hearing developments from the rumor mill before too long.

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Microsoft 365 is getting a load of features we already knew about – and a few we didn’t expect
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Microsoft has provided an update on a number of upcoming features for its suite of productivity and collaboration software, designed to help support the demands of hybrid working.

In conjunction with its latest Work Trend Index report, Microsoft has clarified the release windows for new facilities spanning Microsoft Teams, Outlook and other services, on which TechRadar Pro has previously reported.

However, the company also announced a handful of brand new features, including new meeting room hardware, tools to assist with virtual presentations and an addition to the newest Microsoft 365 service, Loop.

Microsoft 365 for hybrid working

Since the start of the pandemic, Microsoft has worked doggedly to turn collaboration and video conferencing platform Teams into a central hub for working, by rolling out a variety of feature updates and new integrations designed to create synergies between its apps. 

Now, with many businesses shifting towards a new working model as offices reopen, the company is making a series of tweaks that better align its software with the hybrid working era.

In December, we reported that Microsoft was developing a new feature for Outlook that would allow users to specify whether they will be attending a meeting in-person or online, called Outlook RSVP. Microsoft has now confirmed the feature will become available at some point in Q2, 2022.

Separately, TechRadar Pro reported on a new video call layout coming to Microsoft Teams, which is supposed to enable more equitable hybrid working meetings by bringing remote participants eye-to-eye with those in the office. The feature is now available in preview, with “enhancements” to arrive later in the year.

Microsoft

(Image credit: Microsoft)

What's new, Microsoft?

Microsoft also had a few surprises in store, however, the most notable of which is perhaps a pair of updates designed to improve the online presentation experience.

In the coming months, Microsoft will integrate recording studio and cameo, two PowerPoint features that allow users to record and add a video feed to their presentations, respectively. And second, the company unveiled a feature called Language Interpretation for Microsoft Teams, which lets human interpreters dial into a presentation to provide live translation for international attendees.

The company also took the opportunity to announce a new AI-powered business webcam for the Surface Hub 2, which offers intelligent framing and image optimization, and two touch-enabled displays from Neat and Yealink. Microsoft says the third-party devices are undergoing certification for Microsoft Teams Room and should be available to purchase in Q2.

Microsoft webcam

The new AI-powered webcam for the Surface Hub 2. (Image credit: Microsoft)
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> One of the most annoying Microsoft 365 flaws could finally be fixed

> Why Slack isn't afraid of Microsoft Teams or any other rival

> Microsoft 365 will tell your boss if you send inappropriate messages

Finally, Microsoft revealed plans to integrate portable Loop components into Outlook, which will supposedly help employees “brainstorm and complete action items” without having to switch apps. The functionality is already available with Teams, and members of the Office early access program can now sample Loop components in the Outlook email client too.

“Whether it’s creating more engaging meeting experiences, enabling collaboration with external partners, or giving you the flexibility to work where, when and how you want, these new features address the new expectations people have for the workplace,” wrote Nicole Kerskowitz, VP Microsoft Teams.

“While so much has changed about work, one thing remains constant: people are at the center. With technologies like Microsoft Teams supporting people, we can make hybrid work really work by bringing everyone – and everything – together.”

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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Microsoft 365 is getting a load of features we already knew about – and a few we didn’t expect
  • No Comments

Microsoft has provided an update on a number of upcoming features for its suite of productivity and collaboration software, designed to help support the demands of hybrid working.

In conjunction with its latest Work Trend Index report, Microsoft has clarified the release windows for new facilities spanning Microsoft Teams, Outlook and other services, on which TechRadar Pro has previously reported.

However, the company also announced a handful of brand new features, including new meeting room hardware, tools to assist with virtual presentations and an addition to the newest Microsoft 365 service, Loop.

Microsoft 365 for hybrid working

Since the start of the pandemic, Microsoft has worked doggedly to turn collaboration and video conferencing platform Teams into a central hub for working, by rolling out a variety of feature updates and new integrations designed to create synergies between its apps. 

Now, with many businesses shifting towards a new working model as offices reopen, the company is making a series of tweaks that better align its software with the hybrid working era.

In December, we reported that Microsoft was developing a new feature for Outlook that would allow users to specify whether they will be attending a meeting in-person or online, called Outlook RSVP. Microsoft has now confirmed the feature will become available at some point in Q2, 2022.

Separately, TechRadar Pro reported on a new video call layout coming to Microsoft Teams, which is supposed to enable more equitable hybrid working meetings by bringing remote participants eye-to-eye with those in the office. The feature is now available in preview, with “enhancements” to arrive later in the year.

Microsoft

(Image credit: Microsoft)

What's new, Microsoft?

Microsoft also had a few surprises in store, however, the most notable of which is perhaps a pair of updates designed to improve the online presentation experience.

In the coming months, Microsoft will integrate recording studio and cameo, two PowerPoint features that allow users to record and add a video feed to their presentations, respectively. And second, the company unveiled a feature called Language Interpretation for Microsoft Teams, which lets human interpreters dial into a presentation to provide live translation for international attendees.

The company also took the opportunity to announce a new AI-powered business webcam for the Surface Hub 2, which offers intelligent framing and image optimization, and two touch-enabled displays from Neat and Yealink. Microsoft says the third-party devices are undergoing certification for Microsoft Teams Room and should be available to purchase in Q2.

Microsoft webcam

The new AI-powered webcam for the Surface Hub 2. (Image credit: Microsoft)
Read more

> One of the most annoying Microsoft 365 flaws could finally be fixed

> Why Slack isn't afraid of Microsoft Teams or any other rival

> Microsoft 365 will tell your boss if you send inappropriate messages

Finally, Microsoft revealed plans to integrate portable Loop components into Outlook, which will supposedly help employees “brainstorm and complete action items” without having to switch apps. The functionality is already available with Teams, and members of the Office early access program can now sample Loop components in the Outlook email client too.

“Whether it’s creating more engaging meeting experiences, enabling collaboration with external partners, or giving you the flexibility to work where, when and how you want, these new features address the new expectations people have for the workplace,” wrote Nicole Kerskowitz, VP Microsoft Teams.

“While so much has changed about work, one thing remains constant: people are at the center. With technologies like Microsoft Teams supporting people, we can make hybrid work really work by bringing everyone – and everything – together.”

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Windows 11 successor could already be in the works
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Windows 11 could be replaced by Windows 12, and Microsoft might start work on the new operating system as soon as next month, according to the rumor mill.

So, first off, don’t just put your skeptical hat on for this one – maybe also don a cardigan of caution, and, er, waistcoat of wariness – because this is seriously sketchy speculation.

It comes from German tech site Deskmodder.de, as spotted by Tom’s Hardware (which notes that what appeared to be a corroborating tweet from Swift on Security turned out to be a joke – a pretty obvious one too – though the original rumor still stands). According to the site’s inside source, Microsoft will begin work on the successor to Windows 11 in March.

Deskmodder observes that Microsoft has already been recruiting staff to work on this theoretical Windows 12, but that the OS could still be a long way off, because it’s being built from ‘scratch’ or close to it.

Yes, the other main claim here is that while Windows 11 is still very much Windows 10 under the hood in many ways, Windows 12 will be a very different beast from the ground-up. Apply more caution at this point, naturally…

Analysis: How likely is Windows 12, really?

If this is the case as outlined above, and we’re looking at an all-new version of Windows, possibly called Windows 12, then it will indeed be a long way down the road. It’s obviously a major undertaking to build the OS effectively from ‘scratch’, or at least to revamp it with a completely different core to that shared by Windows 10 and 11.

This isn’t a rumor we’re convinced by, in all honesty, and we’ll need to hear it from more sources than Deskmodder before we begin to be sold on the idea that there is a next-gen Windows that work is literally about to begin on. Though if that is the case, obviously we will hear further rumors soon enough, so we can expect to know more of the truth behind this speculation without much of a wait.

What could, of course, be happening here is that someone has the wrong end of the stick somewhere, and while a big project may be about to kick off in March at Microsoft, that may simply be the next major incarnation of Windows 11.

Ultimately, this is all guesswork, but we wouldn’t really expect a Windows 12 to be in the pipeline for anything like the near future. But then again, we didn’t expect Windows 11 either (mainly because Microsoft had said Windows 10 was the final version, ever).

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